Ask anyone who knows me–I won’t deny it–I love to go shopping!  I also love sampling new beauty products and, like any other aficionado, enjoy spreading the word about the ones with whom I’ve had great luck.  (Marketing pros like to refer to this  as “positive word-of-mouth”: nothing beats free advertising!)

In an ideal world, the sky would  rain a copious amount of amazing, cruelty-free cosmetics upon us–and none of us would have to worry at all about how much they cost.   Although the odds of that happening are relatively slim, there are still ways to score cool freebies–thanks to retailers such as Hautelook.  This online specialty shop is so awesome: not only can you save 50-75% off the latest and greatest in designer fashion, you also save big bucks on while indulging that craving for a beauty fix…

Speaking of indulgence–be sure to enter their Facebook contest ASAP!  Up-for-grabs are a $250 shopping spree (good for anything available online at the time of redemption), along with a chance to win a $250 cosmetics bag filled with cruelty-free Smashbox. Talk about music to this bona fide cosmetics junkie’s ears!

Want to win?  See the official rules regarding entry/participation; contest ends June 17, 2010 at 8 am PST.

This promotion is in no way affiliated with, nor administered by My Beauty Bunny.

All products featured are available online from UrbanDecay.com or Sephora.com.  Yippee-ai-yay!

(Courtesy of  FDA Cosmetics.)

While the current U.S. Food and Drug Administration laws do not contain similar definitions regarding what it means to be cruelty-free (wouldn’t that be nice?!), they do regulate–and enforce–certain  cosmetics industry standards to protect us, as consumers.  Key among those regulations are product labeling and safety; obviously it’s in our best interest to know exactly what we’re getting when we fork over our hard-earned dinero. We also should be just as concerned with how well our cosmetics are going to perform–after all, aren’t they supposed to “cleanse” and “beautify” in order to “promote attractiveness” and “alter [the] appearance”?

For additional information regarding this controversial topic, check out the Cosmetic & Personal Care Product Safety section of CosmeticsInfo.org.  It’s well-written and concise; both bio-chem geeks (including yours truly) and those who aren’t as scientifically-inclined can benefit from this resource.

It wasn’t my intention, however,  to have this article merely discuss the safety and efficacy of cruelty-free beauty products.  While those may very well be important things to consider, isn’t it just as important to get the most out of your well-deserved purchase?  How many times have we splurged on a fabulous eyeliner or mascara–only to wind up tossing it a short time thereafter? Doesn’t it seem as though we’ve run out of our favorite shampoo and conditioner…again?  Why does that killer nail polish perish within a week or two?

I think I can safely say I speak for just about every My Beauty Bunny reader (I know I am, by no means, the only connoisseur) here: I expect my cosmetics to uphold pretty high standards.   I believe that if I’m willing to pay good money for a product, it had better perform as advertised–for longer than a day or two! While I wouldn’t be able to accurately gauge how much each of you spend on any of your beauty essentials, I do know this: regardless of the actual dollar amount, we all deserve to have our stuff last as long as possible.

Here are a few tips and tricks which have helped me preserve shelf life and increase overall efficacy and performance:

• When applying liquid or otherwise viscous cosmetics (i.e. eyeliner, mascara, lip gloss, nail polish or lotion), be sure to remove the excess matter from both the applicator and the opening of the container right away, as these sticky leftovers can make it impossible to completely reseal once opened.  When exposed to the elements,  not only will your favorite product evaporate faster–it is fluid, after all–it’s also more likely to be contaminated by infection-causing bacteria and/or other gross microbes which exist within our surrounding environment.  Can we say Hello, Nasty?!

• As many of us have noted in our reviews, a little of your favorite cleanser or exfoliating scrub goes a long way!  No need to metaphorically pour money down the drain (I definitely am guilty of  having done this–many times) by over-squeezing the tube whenever you wash your face or jump in the shower: a pea-sized amount is all you need for best results.  Some labels might also refer to “dimes” or “dollops”; since I am sooo not gifted in the Spatial-Relational Perception department, I’m still trying to figure out what those shapes would look like as amorphous solids poured from a bottle.  Needless to say, I think you get the idea: only use a little each time.

• The same logic applies to shampoo and conditioner–even for those of us long-haired gals (and guys too).  Obviously we will need to use a bit more than, say, someone like my dad–who rocks his short style very well, might I add–but not much more than the usual pea/dime/dollop.  If someone figures out a good visual reference for any or all of the above, by all means share!  I always enjoy engaging in a dialogue with our readers.

To that end, if any of you have additional suggestions, advice or any other cruelty-free beauty tips to share, feel free to leave a comment below–or send us an e-mail. We’d love to hear from you!

Opinions expressed above are the author’s own, and not intended as a substitute for medical or other professional advice.

So, despite being a beauty addict, I have a somewhat embarrassing confession–I have yet to master applying eye makeup. I don’t know why. I have the brushes. I have the makeup. I even have the patience. But there’s something about shading and blending that I just can’t seem to figure out.

So, when I tried mineral eye shadows, I was sold on how easy they are to apply. And when Orglamix was kind enough to share some of their shades with us, I couldn’t wait to to try them out.

After the first application, I was in love. These handmade shadows use finely ground, highly pigmented minerals to give you the pop of color you need to accentuate your eyes.

As someone who doesn’t go too bold with my eye color, I decided to stick with some of Orglamix’s more subtle shades, including Sweet Pea (light pink), Le Mystere (white for highlighting), Pupil Basil (light purple), Sandalwood (copper/brown), Espresso (dark brown), and Brimstone (dark grey for the easiest smoky eyes).

I loved all of these shades. They were perfect to create a variety of different looks and blended easily for even more options. They went on smoothly and helped me to look like I was a makeup artist (instead of a novice). Shading and highlighting was really easy, as well as more detailed lining of the lids.

As far as creases go, I’d love to say that it stayed where it belonged, but with my oily skin (yes, even on my eyelids), the most water-resistant shadows still tend to settle into lines along the crease. However, if I dust my eyelids with an oil-absorbing loose powder before applying the shadows, the creasing is less likely to occur.

All in all, I’m very pleased with these shadows (and the compliments I’ve received while wearing them). But, for those of you who have never worn mineral shadows, I thought I’d give you a few tips on making the most of them.

#1 They are VERY concentrated. This is a good thing because they will last you FOREVER. However, if you’re new to using these shadows, then you need to be careful so that you don’t accidentally saturate your eye in color.

#2 They are shimmery. Again, another plus, but it’s important to remember that the biggest mistake people make with shimmer is going overboard with it. So, if you’re going to do a shimmery eye, then go for matte cheeks and lips.

#3 Brushes are essential. No sponge applicators here. Mineral shadows come in pots and should only be applied with the correct brush. You can wet the minerals and use a liner brush. You can use a crease brush for the dark shades in the crease of the eye. And you can use shader and contour brushes for the lid, corners and under the brow.

#4 Practice makes perfect. Like any new makeup, you just need to experiment with it to achieve the best looks. And Orglamix minerals are super-easy to play around with.

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Source: Flickr.com - Simon Pais-Thomas

Seven steps to simplifying beauty

It’s not complicated. A woman wants to look her best, whether managing an office, sipping lattes with the girls, or stepping out on a date with a special someone.

Here are some tricks of the trade I use on my celebrity clients and real-world P3 Beauty customers:

1. Start with a clean face, a good moisturizer with SPF-15 or better, and then apply Bodyography face primer to smooth and even out skin tone.
2. Put concealer in the inside corner of the eyes and blend down to the recessed area under the eye. This alone will brighten and refresh one’s overall look.
3. For a natural glow, use a mineral powder foundation such as Amazing Cosmetics Velvet. A few quick strokes of the brush apply even coverage that lasts all day.
4. Achieve a healthy radiance by dusting the apples of cheeks, the forehead and the chin with a little blush or bronzer.
5. Use a soft toothbrush gently across the lips to remove dry skin and soften lips so that lip color will last longer.
6. Lip stains are the perfect compromise when balm isn’t enough and lipstick is too much. (Editor’s note: try Urban Decay or Stila for cruelty-free lip stains.)
7. Get elongated lashes by putting the eyelash curler close to the base and squeezing lashes. Then move up to the middle and give a second squeeze. Finish by squeezing the ends of the lashes.

Terri with Gisele Bundchen

Terri Apanasewicz developed the Perfect Pretty Process and founded P3Beauty.com so women everywhere can learn to apply flawless makeup to enhance their own unique beauty.  Her goal is to educate and empower women and to eliminate the anxiety many of us feel when putting on makeup.

As Terri likes to say, “P3 is the cure for the epidemic of purchased makeup that sits feared and lonely in your drawer.”

To learn how to apply makeup like a pro, get Terri’s new DVD – The Perfect Pretty Process – at P3Beauty.com.

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(Editor’s Note: These links are posted as part of the Hyper Luxe Media Network weekly roundup. Some bloggers may post articles that are not cruelty-free.)

Adventures in Round Brown takes a look into the world of Men’s Big and Tall Fashion.

Askmewhats reviews L’Oreal Elseve Smooth Intense.

The Beauty Chick share some of her favorite face primers.

Beauty Junkies Unite tells us how awesome Bare Escentuals Buxom Lashliner.

BeautySweetSpot has a behind the scenes look at the MAC Fall collection.

Best Things in Beauty has a Giveaway Contest: Sephora’s new Illamasqua Powder Blusher in Kiss.

Claire’s Beauty explores lipstick trends through the decades.

Denim Debutante is giving away a bottle of Arbonne’s Made in the Shade Self-Tanner to one lucky reader!

Fabuless Beauty has us super excited for the MAC Look in a Box sets available exclusively at Nordstrom.

See Fabulous Over Forty’s review of Josie Maran lipstick.

The Fashion Planner shows us how to how to make a no-sew top and necklace from a t-shirt.

Glamour Whore introduces you to Illamasqua cosmetics.

Gloss Menagerie homemade toner experiment.

Gouldylox Reviews has a sneak peek of Bare Escentuals liner and lipstick.

Hot Beauty Health gives you the low down on the white nail polish trend.

The Informed Makeup Maven is all about body and hair this week.  Check out her must haves.

Krasey Beauty cozies up to Erno Laszlo Cosmetics.

Visit Lipgloss Break and Enter to Win Sunkissed Glow by JLo and AminoGenesis Perfect Reflection!

My Beauty Bunny recommends a cruelty-free self-tanner and body firming cream in one from Tarte.

Obsession Confessions of Glamour and Love reviews Ouidad products for curly hair.

Sicka Than Average keeps you walking on sunshine with its roundup of sizzling hot shades.

The Style and Beauty Doctor begs you not to match your eyeshadow to your outfit.

Su Ferreira has another great tutorial on smokey eye.

ThisThatBeauty shares a beauty observations – Extreme Length False Eye Lashes in everyday life!

Tres Chic Style reveals her shopping secrets.

Askmewhats has nail art tutorial for bling bling nails.

The Beauty Chick reviews CoverGirl and Olay Simply Ageless Sculpting Blush.

Beauty Junkies Unite shows you the right way to get cheeky with 4 easy cheek stains.

Best Things in Beauty spotlights the new Giorgio Armani Beauty Fall 2009 colors.

Claire’s Beauty gives Clarins Delicious Self-Tanning Cream a test drive.

Denim Debutante has an in-depth review of Paige Premium Denim.

Fabulous Over Forty is giving away Sothys Sun Care to one lucky reader. Enter now.

The Glamour Whore shows off the hair raising talent of Olivier Chomienne.

Gloss Menagerie reviews Softlips Pure Honeydew.

Gouldylox Reviews sneak peek at Milani Eye Tech Infinite Liquid Liners.

Hairs My Story has a gorgeous summer tropics FOTD.

in a word…fab has a sneak peek at J.Crew’s Fall 2009 Collection.

It’s complexion week at the Informed Makeup Maven, and don’t forget to enter her cool giveaways this week!

Krasey Beauty discovers the beauty in going organic with Revolution Organics.

Visit Lipgloss Break and Enter to win The Cure 24/7 hair treatment and Sunkissed Glow fragrance by JLo!

My Beauty Bunny shows you how to get gorgeous, healthy, post-beach hair!

Sicka Than Average schools you on the best sunscreens for that pretty little face of yours. Protect ya neck!

ThisThatBeauty runs down fall’s hottest collections!

Unfunded takes on Farmer John with some killer denim cut-offs.

VexInTheCity invites you to share her addiction – her make up collection.

***Affiliate of the Week***
The Style and Beauty Doctor will show you how to keep your blowout from blowing up.

For more information on The HLMN or on becoming an affiliate please visit our website.

I checked out Mindy Shear’s “Eye Shadow Palette 5 Colors with Double Brush” number 604. This product obviously could use a catchier name, but the texture of the mineral shadows and colors themselves caught my eye.

Palette number 604 looks like a very neutral set of tans and browns as it is pictured on the website. In real life, the five colors range from a soft, but deep, beige which is good for highlights (even on my pale-as-all-get-out skin), to an actually-neutral soft brown, to three shades of rust brown which range from light to dark.

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These eyeshadows keep changing colors: they look different on the website than they do in reality (the colors aren’t shade-perfect in the graphic and the middle shade is pictured too light on the website) and it looked more rust/orange tinted on my skin than it did on the pallet.

I love, love the two neutral browns and the three rust tinted shades. The colors are totally fun and I can use the muted ones for day and add the more vibrant ones right on top for night and never have to wash my face and start over!

The texture of the shadows is soft and slightly powdery, which I like. The color lasted all day and night. These are cruelty-free of course and very portable – great for taking on the road. I recommend this palette and would definitely try other 5-color palettes made by Mindy Shear.

Guest blog post by Eva Mathews, fourth-year med student and little sis to Jen.

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